antibodies
Alex Dale
Following an STD test in July, I was told that I have the Herpes II
antibody. However, there was no evidence of Herpes and I could not
remember ever having experienced anything like Herpes. However, over the
last two weeks I have had a irritating rash on the tip of my penis that
burned red after intercourse (with condom), but the STD clinic doctor
did not think that it was Herpes. It was also 10 weeks after the STD
test. In fact, the clinic doctor was very casual about the presence of
the antibody, saying that it did not mean anything. Is he right?
Alex
GUYonphone
In article <3642EB29...@london.virgin.net>, Alex Dale
<al...@london.virgin.net> writes:
Hi Alex
Well, to have antibodies to the virus is to have the virus. You don't get
antibodies without having the virus. So, you've got herpes. However, what
test was run? There are blood tests that confuse HSV1 antibodies for HSV2,
visa versa, and can even claim you have both antibodies when you may only have
one. So, the typing may be inaccurate in your case. Ever had cold sores
around mouth or nose? Could be you have HSV1 instead (HSV1 is the virus found
most often in the oral area).
The only blood test, to my knowledge, that can be trusted with typing info is
the herpes specific Western Blot...and you rarely get that by just walking into
a clinic and them running a blood test. The blood for the WB is shipped off to
the Univ of Washington where the test is actually run. Kind of expensive
compared to your local lab type inaccurate test. But any blood test, again as
far as I know, that DOES indicate you have antibodies is accurate enough to
diagnose some type of herpes, it's just that you can't rely on the specific
type it says you have.
The stats are that 1 out of 5 people in "the western world" are already
infected with genital herpes--but only 1/3rd of those people know. The rest
either have no symptoms whatsoever, or ones so slight they blame other things
for it (like, maybe even a slight red rash on their penis??). Doctors often
mistake the variable symptoms of herpes (they are sometimes very different from
person to person) for other things also.
People who have no symptoms, yet have herpes, can still transfer the virus to
other people through skin to skin contact.
A doc who says having antibodies to HSV2 doesn't mean anything needs to head
back to med school for a brushup--he musta been taking naps during the
infectious disease classes(wow...and this from an STD clinic doc? Amazingly
uninformed!). I'd replace that doc with a more iniformed one if the doc was
mine. I'd be checking out another test, quite possibly...these folks sound
kinda lame.
There's much for you to learn about the virus. I always refer others to
www.viridae.com as a good web site I found when I was first diagnosed.
Good luck
-G
april r deFord
On Fri, 6 Nov 1998, Alex Dale wrote:
> Hello
>
> Following an STD test in July, I was told that I have the Herpes II
> antibody. However, there was no evidence of Herpes and I could not
> remember ever having experienced anything like Herpes. However, over the
> last two weeks I have had a irritating rash on the tip of my penis that
> burned red after intercourse (with condom), but the STD clinic doctor
> did not think that it was Herpes. It was also 10 weeks after the STD
> test. In fact, the clinic doctor was very casual about the presence of
> the antibody, saying that it did not mean anything. Is he right?
>
> Alex
From what I understand about HSV2, he's not right. In the case of most
viruses, he would be- but herpes never gores away, unlike other viruses;
if, for example, we were talking about the antibodies for Mono, the mere
presence of the antibodies would merely prove that you've been exposed to
it, not that you have an active case of it now. But once you've been
exposed to HSV, it stays in you, whether you have symptoms or not, and can
infect others. It can *especially* infect others if you are having an
active ob or are shedding asymptomatically. And yes, unfortunately, herpes
lesions can manifest as a rash. I'm very much afraid you were misinformed-
but you do have a great deal of compny. I know that doesn't help in the
least, but it's true. If I were you, I'd go to another dr and get some
more accurate advice. And maybe go on Famvir; from what I've been reading
here and elsewhere, Famvir, administered for a primary ob (the first ob in
the course of the infection), can actually alter the strength and severity
of obs for the rest of your life. I wish I'd had it when i frist was
infected. But you do, so, if I were in your place, I'd go get it! Hope
this info helps.
HUG, April
Pauly
wrote:
>
>On Fri, 6 Nov 1998, Alex Dale wrote:
>
>> Hello
>>
>> Following an STD test in July, I was told that I have the Herpes II
>> antibody. However, there was no evidence of Herpes and I could not
>> remember ever having experienced anything like Herpes. However, over the
>> last two weeks I have had a irritating rash on the tip of my penis that
>> burned red after intercourse (with condom), but the STD clinic doctor
>> did not think that it was Herpes. It was also 10 weeks after the STD
>> test. In fact, the clinic doctor was very casual about the presence of
>> the antibody, saying that it did not mean anything. Is he right?
>>
>> Alex
>
>From what I understand about HSV2, he's not right. In the case of most
>viruses, he would be- but herpes never gores away, unlike other viruses;
>if, for example, we were talking about the antibodies for Mono, the mere
>presence of the antibodies would merely prove that you've been exposed to
>it, not that you have an active case of it now. But once you've been
>exposed to HSV,
Hi April,
Hope you don't mind, but although my medical terminology is almost
nil, I think it might be better stated that once you are exposed to
enough virus to innoculate, then you have it for life. (some people
have some immunity from previous exposures to Herpes and this single
marker can lanch a defence)
Tim Fitzmaurice
> From what I understand about HSV2, he's not right. In the case of most
> viruses, he would be- but herpes never gores away, unlike other viruses;
> if, for example, we were talking about the antibodies for Mono, the mere
> presence of the antibodies would merely prove that you've been exposed to
> it, not that you have an active case of it now. But once you've been
Umm April, Mono is usually caused by Epstein Barr Virus, or on occasion by
CMV...with EBV you shed virus very frequently even if you have no disease
symptoms....the antibodies do exactly the same as HSV (EBV and CMV are
both herpesviruses themselves)...and in fect the particular type of
antibody can be used to check just how active it is.
Antibody does fade without any rechallenge. If you look at the old Hep A
vaccine which was just an injection of antibody, that is useless after a
number of months, unlike the more recent one which confers an active
immunity and lasts much longer.
Tim
When playing rugby, its not the winning that counts, but the taking apart
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